Writer's Website

[kappapi99]

I am not sure if this is the correct place, but hopefully my newbie status allows me a little bit of slack :)

I noticed many people had their own "writer's websites" detailing the published works and current projects. I decided I would put one of my own up and started working on it. In doing so a couple of questions came to mind:

1) Is it acceptable to put writing samples for published works?

2) How about unpublished works?

3) How about works that are "in progress?"

4) Is it ok to talk about a sequel to a book that is complete but not published?
For example, I wrote a book entitled "Galaxis: The Settling of Lornia" and have started a sequel entitled "Galaxis: The Expansion of Lornia" (working title). The first is not published, but I really enjoy writing and wanted to start while the first one is fresh in my mind.

5) Is it appropriate to sell books from your website? If they are self-published?

6) Finally, it is taboo to include your writer's website address in a query letter?

Thanks for your help!!

KP

[stormie]

1) Is it acceptable to put writing samples for published works?

Either post a partial and state where published, or a link to where it can be read online.

2) How about unpublished works?

Just a partial, because many times when it's on a web site, it's considered published.

3) How about works that are "in progress?"

Same, but why would you want to do that, when you might be changing it, revising it?

4) Is it ok to talk about a sequel to a book that is complete but not published?

Sure, why not?

For example, I wrote a book entitled "Galaxis: The Settling of Lornia" and have started a sequel entitled "Galaxis: The Expansion of Lornia" (working title). The first is not published, but I really enjoy writing and wanted to start while the first one is fresh in my mind.

5) Is it appropriate to sell books from your website? If they are self-published?

Don't know. Mine is pubbed by a small publisher and I have a link to the publisher and Amazon.

6) Finally, it is taboo to include your writer's website address in a query letter?

Not taboo, but editors don't usually have time to type in your web site address (from a hard copy query), or click through from your email. You could put it in the email, under your signature.

Hope this helps a little!

[Richard]

1) Is it acceptable to put writing samples for published works?

In most cases, yes, but watch out for any work that you've done work-for-hire and thus don't have the rights to reprint, and it's bad form to post work that's still available from the places that bought it.

2) How about unpublished works?

If it's yours, you can do what you want it - but as said elsewhere, it may harm your chance of selling it.

4) Is it ok to talk about a sequel to a book that is complete but not published?

5) Is it appropriate to sell books from your website? If they are self-published?

Not really, but it's usually better to link to dedicated stores like Amazon (epublishing, if you'd be in competition with your publisher, definitely not)

6) Finally, it is taboo to include your writer's website address in a query letter?

Nope, but make sure it's good in case they do visit ;-)

[cattywampus]

I'm afraid I must disagree with Richard, assuming I've understood him right. It's not only appropriate to sell your books from a website, it's recommended. I've published some of my books on my website and will publish more. Whatever I sell, I get to keep all the money.

If you have a signed contract with a hard-copy publisher - is this what you meant, Richard? - of course you wouldn't compete by selling books online. Unless they printed 5,000 copies, sold 255 and want you to buy the other copies so they can make their costs back. It happens.

ePublishing is definitely the wave of the future. MS makes a reader you can use to read a downloaded book, turning pages and everything. "Real" books will never vanish entirely but online, everyone can be published. And why not? Sure, the net will be loaded with inept efforts, but that hardly matters. If you don't like it, don't subscribe.

Catty :Thumbs:

[kappapi99]

Thanks all!

Do you think posting the forward and first chapter would be ok? That way the whole thing is not "published," but it gives a better glimpse into the book than a short description.

KP

[scribbler1382]

<ignoring epublishing vs. traditional publishing speech urge>

Kappapi99: The basic rule is that anything over 10% is considered "published". If your novel is 10 equal-sized chapters long, you can post 1 chapter and be theoretically safe. Thing is, publishers are people too, so if the one you happen to be dealing with down the line absolutely abhors anything that has even had a description posted online, you _will_ be screwed. Choose wisely, grasshopper. :)

[cattywampus]

scribbler, I would really like to know where you got this information, as I am constantly being asked this question on allexperts.com.

Here's a link: http://www.sfwa.org/beware/electronic.html. One of these days I'm going to get around to reading it. I find it very hard to read more than one page on the net.

Thanks.

Catty :Sun:

[jules]

<ignoring epublishing vs. traditional publishing speech urge>

Kappapi99: The basic rule is that anything over 10% is considered "published".

That's one theory. There are many different opinions on what constitutes published, and when it comes down to it the only one that matters is the one of the editor that wants to buy your book... if they decide not to because something you've done in the past makes them believe it's already published, then you have no recourse.

The closest I've seen to a consensus is this:

* If you're only posting a few hundred words or so of a novel, virtually nobody considers it published.
* Post a chapter, and there are very few who will.
* Post the entire thing and everyone will.
* Most people don't think a password protected site constitutes publication.
* But, the more people who have passwords, the more likely it is that it will be considered published. Very large sites with more than a few thousand users are probably best avoided.

[cattywampus]

Jules, what if you publish an early version, like a first draft? That's all I have on my site (but of course no one has bought any, either LOL).
Stephen King said the first draft is you telling yourself the story, the second is you selling yourself the story, the third is you telling the reader the story and the fourth is you selling the reader the story.

Catty :popcorn:

[LightShadow]

If you put samples of your writing on a website, remember that for the most part it is then considered published. Some magazines, for example, like InkPot, will not publish any work that has been published before, including those appearing on personal websites.

As for selling books, that is when the red tape of government bureaucracy gets involved in the sense of seller's rights, permits, licenses, and the such. Better check the legal end before selling stuff.

I put my website address on my query letters, and one of the seven bit, though I don't know if they looked at it (the website, I mean). I created an e-mail address, however, only for my writing. My personal e-mail address is different. Writing is a business, so I keep my business dealings away from my personal stuff. It's a general rule of business not to mix the two.